标题：IRONIC AND OVERCOMPENSATION EFFECTS OF PERFORMANCE: THE PRECISE MECHANISM UNDERLYING THE ANXIETY AND PERFORMANCE IMPAIRMENT IN A DART-THROWING TASK.
期刊名称：International Journal of Sport, Exercise and Training Sciences
电子版ISSN：2149-8229
出版年度：2017
卷号：3
语种：English
出版社：Balikesir University
摘要：With specific regard to the hypothesized effects of anxiety on performance in sport,the rival predictions emanating from the “ironic processes theory” (Wegner,1994) and the “implicit overcompensation hypothesis” (de la Pena et al.,20008) are largely indiscriminate. That is,Wegner’s (1994,2009) theory predicts that self-instructions not to perform in a certain manner (e.g.,don’t hit the ball wide of the post) would lead to the very behavior the individual seeks to avoid under pressure. On the other hand,the implicit overcompensation hypothesis predicts that avoidant instructions would produce the opposite outcome to that intended by the performer under pressure. The present novel study directly compared these predictions using a dart-throwing task. Namely,in a dart-throwing task,are pressure-induced performance failures associated with specifically and precisely ironic effects or activating an overriding implicit counter message? METHOT: The sample comprised 95 individuals (52 men,43 women;Mage = 21.15,SD = 3.46). Performance measured using a dart-throwing task employing a regulation dartboard and darts. To measure physiological arousal,heart rate and heart rate variability recorded using a Polar RS800CX heart rate monitor. Additionally,Mental Readiness Form-3 (Krane,1994) administered to measure cognitive anxiety and perceived mental effort was measured using the Rating Scale for Mental Effort (RSME;Zijlstra,1993). RESULTS: When instructed not to miss in a specific direction on the dartboard,anxious performers did so a significantly greater number of times (t94 = 4.35,p < .001). Importantly,there was no difference in non-ironic error (all ts < 1,ps > .5) over time,which provides a specific support for Wegner’s theory in a performance setting. We also probed the specific tendency to perform in the to-be-avoided area by measuring the radial error and arc length within the ironic error zone. When anxious,participants performed more precisely in the to-be-avoided zone than when they were not anxious (Wilks’ Λ = 0.74,F (2,88) = 7.62,p = .001). Discussion: The primary goal of the present study was to perform a direct test of the movement predictions for implicit overcompensation hypothesis and ironic processes theories of pressure-induced performance errors. As hypothesized,in the highanxiety condition,compared to the low-anxiety condition,participants’ ironic error hits were significantly farther from the target zone and significantly farther into the ironic error zone. In other words,when anxious,participants performed more precisely ironically (Woodman,Barlow,& Gorgulu,2015) which provides a specific support for Wegner's theory of ironic process of mental control rather than an implicit overcompensation hypothesis. The present research demonstrates that ironic performance errors is a meaningful and robust potential concern for performers who are required to perform under pressure. Regardless,coaches and practitioners would do well to be particularly careful with the specific words that they use as part of their instructions when helping performers to ensure that they do not contribute to the likelihood of mental control backfiring when it matters most to the performer (e.g.,in competition).
